1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of prostheses made of flexible cloth.
It applies in particular to prostheses designed to be into place by endoscopic surgery.
More precisely still, the present invention applies preferably to fixing the flexible prostheses defined in document FR-A-2 710 518. The means defined in that document are designed mainly for curing hernias by colioscopy using a precut web which is put into place by laparoscopy.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, flexible cloth prostheses are fixed by staples or by stitches.
Stapling is quite easy to perform in most open operations. It is more difficult when operating by colioscopy. In all cases it is rather expensive.
The fixing of flexible prostheses by stitches is cheaper, but more difficult to perform, particularly for colioscope type interventions.
In the context of the device described in above-mentioned document FR-A-2 710 518, for example, it is recommended to perform peritonization with a needle using 10 cm to 15 cm resorbable thread that is locked every 3 or 4 stitches by a clamp.
Proposals have indeed been made to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art by having recourse to biological adhesives; however to the knowledge of the Applicant, those attempts have not yet given satisfaction.
An object of the present invention is thus to propose a novel device making it possible to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art by facilitating the fixing of flexible prostheses on a member of the living body.
In the context of the present invention, this object is achieved by a flexible prosthesis comprising at least one anchor device (20) made of a material having shape memory and designed to be deformed merely by temperature control, to go from a storage position in which the device (20) is at least substantially rectilinear and adjacent to the prosthesis (10) to a fixing position in which said anchor device (20) is generally in the form of a loop projecting considerably from the prosthesis (10) so as to penetrate into the surrounding tissue.
According to another advantageous characteristic of the present invention, said prosthesis includes a plurality of anchor devices that are mutually parallel in the initial, storage position.